Car retarder



Aug. 11, 1925.

LA VERNE C. ENGLAND CAR RETARDER Filed April 12. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 1 l,- 1925.

- 1,549,190 LA VERNE c. ENGLAND CAR RETARDER Filed April 12. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 11, 1925.

1,549,190 LA VERNE c. ENGLAND cm RETARDER Filed April 12. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 La E r 76 Cl/ y/a/za v M K w m Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

UNITED STATES- FATE LA VERNE C. ENGLAND, 0F FAIRMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO FAIRIVIONT MINING MACHINERY COMPANY,

OF FAIRMON'I, WEST VIRGINIA.

CAR RETARDER.

Application filed April 12, 1923. Serial No. 631,729.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LA VERNE 0. ENG- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairmont, in the county of Marion and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Retarders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machinery used in connection with coal and other mines and in the handling of coal and ores at tipples, in yards, on docks and in other like situations.

More especially the invention relates to a car spotting device for positioning cars at desired places on inclined tracks.

In'the handling of cars on inclined tracks such as are used at tipples or over bins or pockets it is customary, in many instances, to push the car to the upper end of an inclined track and allow it to move down such track under the influence of gravity. Formerly the car was stopped in its movement down the track in the desired position by applying the brakes with which all cars are equipped. This method proved objectionable since the brakes on the cars were not always reliable, required additional labor, and very often resulted in costly delay in getting the cars properly placed due to bad brakes or manual labor required with pinch bars or car movers.

The present invention contemplates, and has for its principal object the provision of an improved winch arrangement for the purpose above described wherein it will not be necessary to use man power for spotting cars as desired.

Moreover, the invention contemplates the arranging of a counterweight device in a novel manner so that it will act directly on the drum shaft of the winch.

With the above and other objects inview, as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed. v

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an inclined track showing the relationship of the preferred form of the device to the track and disclosing a car connected to the winch cable.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail side View of the winch and its associated mechanisms.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, the guide pulley at the lower part of that figure being omitted.

Fig. 4 is a detail View showing a modified arrangement of the invention suitable for direct leading of the cable from the winch to a car. i

Fig. 5 is a detail showing a second modification employing a different arrangement of guide pulley.

In order to illustrate the use of the invention there has been shown in Figure 1 a series of trestles 10 supporting a superstructure 11 whereon is an inclined track 12 on which a car 18 runs. These-trestles also support bin sides 1 1 so that the spaces between the trestles form receiving bins 15. At the upper end of the trestle is a frame which is here shown only in part and illustrated as including a vertical frame member 16 and an upper horizontal frame member 17.

The invention proper includes a bearing frame 18 secured to the vertical member 16 by means of bolts 19. This frame is provided with bearings 20 wherein is journalled a shaft 21. On this shaft between the sides of the frame 18 is fixedly mounted a rope drum 22 on which is wound a cable 23. On the shaft 21 is also mounted a drum 2a whereon is wound a counterweight cable 25 which extends upwardly from the drum around an idler pulley 26 fixed to the frame member 17 from whence it leads around one of the sheaves of a double pulley 27 also supported by the frame member 17. This cable 25 is now led downwardly and around a pulley or sheave 28 mounted in the upper part of a counterbalance weight 29, thence upwardly and around the remaining sheave of the pulley 27 and finally down 'tothe counterbalance weight where it is secured by clips 30 after being passed through an eye 31 in the top of the counterbalance weight.

The cable-23 is, in the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5, led around a guide pulley 32. This pulley is connected by a pivot joint 33" with one end of a tBIlSlOIl' bar or rod 34- which passes through one of" the vertical frame members and is provided on its opposite end with a coiled compres chain loop'4O which is adapted to be attached tothe car and whichis provided with a suitable trip latch 41 Iii/the form of the device shown'in' Fig. 4, the guide pulley. 32 andit-s support are dispensed with and the :drum 22 is so located thatdirect connection may be made to the car; 1

In the form of the device shown in Figure 5 the guide pulley corresponding to the. one numbered 32 in Figure 2 is "sup ported on a separate frame but is supplied with the same coiled spring to prevent shockszon the cable. The drums 42, 22'and are suppprted in the same manner as in the. formshown'in Figures 1, 2and 3;

Breach of the formsthere is provided J on .ni shaft. 21 a brake drum 42'which 'is partly,surroundedby a brake band 43'to ,oneivend of which is fixed an end piece 44 whichis securedi in a lug 45' formed on the frame. l8, the other end of this brake band being secured to astrap '46 which is pivotally connected toa brake lever 47 '1 This brake. lever. is pivoted adjacent one end to the frame 18 so as to provide a short arm to which the strap 46 is attached and a longer "arm extending laterally away-from thepivot: and carrying a sliding counterweight orbalance 48. From the lon'g arm of this leverextends abrake cord 49" which passes through suitable guide pulleys 50 and extends to a point convenient to the operaton where it is provided with a terminalhand grip 51.

In operation" the car is moved by an engine toposition at or adjacent the top ofi't-Heincline and the chain loop connected to some suitable part as, forinstance; the car. coupler. The engine maynow be uncoupled-whereupon the car will move down the incline as soon as the brake of the winch isireleased'by pulling up the counterweight arm ofthe' brake lever 47'. hen the car has reached the desired point the operator releases his pull on the handle 51 whereupon the brake will be applied by the action of the counterweight 48. It will be noted that the counterweight 29 is suliiciently heavy to resist movement of thecar down the incline to such extent that themotion will be comparatively slow, thus enabling the operator to-stop thecar in its proper place,

counterweight 29 having travelled upward when the cable 23 was moving with the car; will nowgo downward 'byvirture' of itsown weightcausing -the ropedrum 24to revolve by means of cable 25 attached thereto cans ing the rope drum 22 to also revolve 401-- rewinding the cable 23. For emergency cases, there is provided a crank 52* shown in operative position in dotted lines for rewindin'g the cable 23 by hand:

The apparatus thus provided will be seen to besimple in construction and-efficient in operation, and to overcome the objections above noted to the apparatus formerly-used;

It'will be'obvious to engineers and'others skilled in" the art that changes in the form of'the device'and inthe' arrangement ofits parts may be made while maintain-ingthe principles involved in the invention and set forth in the claims;

Having thusdescribed the invention; what is claimed'as new,is: V

1. Mechanism for operatingcars on an inclined trackcomprisinga framework at the end of'the track, a shaft supported by said' framework above" said track, a drum supported on" said shaft; a cablewound-on said drum and havingmeans for detachable connection to the front end "of said car, a second drum; on said shaft, a: cable-on the second. drum, pulleys above the drunr on said frame work, and a counterweight the end of'said cable operative upand down operate thebrakelever;

2. Mechanism for. operating cars on an inclined track comprising a framework at the endof thetrack, a drumsupportedon the framework, a cable woundaround the drunrand attachable to the front end of the car, a second drum on the framework attached to the first drum, said second drum having a cable attached thereto, pulleys above the second drum over which the cable passes and a counterweight at the other end of the cable, all supported by the framework, a brake drum attached to said first mentioned drums, a brake band, a lever for operating the brake band, pulleys on the framework and a cable attached to said lever and passing over the pulleys, and a crank attached to said drums and also supported on said framework whereby a person 10 located at the Windlass may also operate the brake band.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

LA VERNE C. ENGLAND. 

